Rules test for coaches

[Mark Padgett]

I think I may have posted this a few years ago, but I thought I'd throw this out again. It's a "simple" rules test I give to new coaches in our local kids rec league. We use NF rules with some modifications for grade level, like no backcourt guarding in 3rd and 4th grade, running clock, etc., but in general, it's NFHS rules. I've never had a newbie coach get all 10 questions correct in more than the ten years I've been using it. Feel free to use it in your rec league if you want. BTW - there's a "characteristic" about this test that makes it even more fun to administer.


RULES TEST – ANSWER TRUE OR FALSE TO EACH QUESTION

1) ON AN INBOUND PLAY, IF THE INBOUNDER MOVES MORE THAN THREE FEET BACKWARDS BEFORE INBOUNDING, IT’S A VIOLATION
2) A PLAYER CANNOT BEGIN A LEGAL DRIBBLE BY PUSHING THE BALL TO THE FLOOR WITH BOTH HANDS
3) PLAYERS MAY PLAY WITH EARRINGS AS LONG AS THEY ARE COVERED TIGHTLY WITH MASKING TAPE
4) WHEN INBOUNDING IN THE FRONT COURT, IT IS A VIOLATION TO INBOUND THE BALL TO A PLAYER IN THE BACK COURT
5) IF A PLAYER DIVES FOR A LOOSE BALL, GRABS THE BALL AND CONTINUES SLIDING, IT IS A TRAVELING VIOLATION
6) IF AN INBOUNDER IS HOLDING THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS AND A DEFENDER REACHES ACROSS THE LINE AND PUTS BOTH HANDS ON THE BALL, IT IS RULED A JUMP BALL
7) IF A PLAYER SHOOTS AN AIR BALL, THAT PLAYER CANNOT BE THE FIRST TO TOUCH THE BALL BEFORE IT COMES DOWN AND HITS THE FLOOR
8) IF A PLAYER IS HOLDING THE BALL AND A DEFENDER SLAPS THE BALL HANDLERS HAND CAUSING THE BALL TO BECOME LOOSE, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
9) IF A PLAYER REACHES OVER ANOTHER PLAYER’S BACK TO GRAB THE BALL, IT IS A PERSONAL FOUL
10) IF A PLAYER IS DRIBBLING AND BOUNCES THE BALL OFF THEIR FOOT, THEY CANNOT RUN AND RECOVER THE LOOSE BALL